Sudan on the Eve of Independence 1954-1956

The Anglo-Egyptian Agreement of January 1899 established the Sudan as a condominium. In his own words, the author of the Agreement, Lord Cromer, conceded that he created for the Sudan a 'status hitherto unknown to the laws of Europe'.

To compound the anomalous status of the Sudan, the co-domini maintained diametrically opposed views on the ultimate destiny of the Sudan. Britain adopted a policy of developing the Sudan independently of Egypt and thereafter remained firmly committed to the right of its peoples to self-determination after a period of full internal self-government. Whereas the successive Egyptian Governments in the monarchial era vehemently asserted that the right of self-determination would not apply to the Sudan because it was an integral part of Egypt.

Not unexpected, the Sudanese political movement since its inception in the mid-forties of the last century was split along the lines of the positions held by the co-domini regarding the future of the Sudan: complete independence or some form of union with Egypt.

With the advent in July 1952 of a new revolutionary regime in Egypt, the deadlock over the Sudan question was resolved. This regime should indeed be credited for the recognition of the right of the Sudanese to self-determination. But without thereby forsaking the principle of the Unity of the Nile Valley. Under a 1953 Anglo-Egyptian Agreement, the Sudanese would exercise the right of self-determination on the elapse of a 3-year period of self-government at the close of which, the Sudanese would have to choose either a link with Egypt, in any form, or complete independence.

Egypt conceived that by the amalgamation of the array of Sudanese parties calling for different levels of union with Egypt, the option of a link with Egypt would prevail. The National Unionist Party (NUP) thus came into being.

Unfortunately for Egypt, the NUP soon changed course and adopted a pro-independence policy. Afterwards it became evident, that Britain completely outmaneuvered Egypt by overriding the entire self-determination process stipulated in the 1953 Agreement and entrusting it to the Sudanese Parliament. The desire for independence was then unanimous.

Unlike other colonial territories, the path of the Sudan to independence was complex and uncertain. The reason being its unique condominium status. The co-domini, Britain and Egypt, and the Sudanese themselves, maintained divergent views on the ultimate destiny of the country: complete independence or union with Egypt. International participation was subsequently required to supervise Sudan's self-government and self-determination under the 1953 Anglo-Egyptian Agreement. However, events took a different turn when the Sudanese desire for complete independence became unanimous. Seizing upon that, Britain took the initiative to skillfully override the set procedure for self-determination.